Converting a Word document to PDF takes about three seconds, and Word has built-in tools to do it without any third-party software. The result is a file that looks the same on any device, cannot be accidentally edited, and is safe to send to clients or upload to a website. This guide covers every method available in Word 2016 through Microsoft 365, along with fixes for the most common problems.
Method 1: Save As PDF (Quickest)
This is the fastest route and suitable for most everyday conversions.
- With your document open, press F12 (Windows) or go to File > Save As.
- Choose where to save the file.
- In the Save as type dropdown, select PDF (*.pdf).
- Click Save.
On Mac, go to File > Save As, then change the File Format dropdown to PDF.
Word creates the PDF and, by default, opens it in your default PDF viewer so you can check it looks right before sending.
Method 2: Export to PDF (More Control)
The Export option gives you extra settings that Save As does not, and is worth using when quality matters — for a brochure, a formal report, or anything going to print.
- Go to File > Export > Create PDF/XPS Document.
- Click Create PDF/XPS.
- In the dialog box, choose a save location and then click Options before saving.
The Options dialog is where the useful settings live:
- ISO 19005-1 compliant (PDF/A) — tick this for archival documents or anything that needs to meet a regulatory standard. PDF/A embeds all fonts and colour profiles so the file looks identical in 20 years.
- Bitmap text when fonts may not be embedded — if a font cannot be embedded (rare, but it happens with some licensed fonts), this option rasterises the text so it still looks correct rather than substituting a different font.
- Document structure tags for accessibility — tick this if the PDF needs to be accessible to screen readers.
- Page range — export just the pages you need rather than the whole document.
Under Optimize for, choose Standard for print quality or Minimum size for a smaller file to send by email or upload to a website.
Method 3: Print to PDF
If you do not have the Save As PDF option for any reason — for example you are using an older version of Word or a third-party application — you can use the Windows built-in Print to PDF printer.
- Press Ctrl+P to open the Print dialog.
- In the Printer dropdown, select Microsoft Print to PDF.
- Click Print.
- Choose a save location when prompted.
The Print to PDF method produces a slightly simpler PDF than the Export method — it does not embed document structure tags or support PDF/A — but the visual output is fine for everyday use. On Mac, use File > Print > PDF > Save as PDF from the bottom-left of the Print dialog.
Preserving Hyperlinks and Bookmarks
By default, clickable hyperlinks in your Word document carry through to the PDF. If your links are not working in the finished PDF:
- Use File > Export (Method 2) rather than Save As.
- In the Options dialog, make sure Create bookmarks using: Headings is ticked if you want the PDF to have a navigable bookmark panel.
- Make sure your hyperlinks are properly formatted in Word (blue underlined text inserted via Insert > Link, not just typed URLs).
Table of contents links, cross-references and internal bookmarks all transfer correctly when using Export. The Print to PDF method does not preserve internal bookmarks reliably.
Embedding Fonts
If you have used a non-standard font in your document and want to make sure it looks right on computers that do not have that font installed, embed the font in the PDF. Word does this automatically when you export to PDF — embedded fonts are included by default. You do not need to do anything extra.
If the font manufacturer has set a licence restriction preventing embedding, Word will either substitute the font or, if you have the Bitmap text option ticked (see Method 2), rasterise that text. You will see a warning in the Save dialog if this happens.
Optimising for Web vs Print
If the PDF is going on a website or being emailed, file size matters. Use the Minimum size optimisation in the Export dialog. This compresses images more aggressively and is usually fine for screen viewing.
If the PDF is going to a printer or a professional print service, use Standard optimisation. For commercial print work, ask the printer what they need — some require PDF/X format, which Word does not produce natively. In that case you may need to export from Word to PDF and then convert to PDF/X using Adobe Acrobat or an online tool.
For images specifically: Word compresses images when you save a document. If your PDFs look blurry, go to File > Options > Advanced > Image Size and Quality and tick Do not compress images in file before exporting to PDF.
What to Do If the PDF Looks Wrong
Fonts Look Different or Are Substituted
Open the PDF in Adobe Reader or Edge and check which fonts are embedded by going to File > Properties > Fonts (in Adobe Reader). If the expected font is not listed, it was not embedded. Try re-exporting using the Bitmap text option in the Export dialog, or install the font on your machine before exporting.
Images Are Low Quality or Blurry
Go to File > Options > Advanced > Image Size and Quality, tick Do not compress images in file, save the document, then re-export the PDF. This prevents Word from downsampling images before they reach the PDF.
Layout or Margins Are Wrong
This is usually a printer settings issue. Go to File > Print and make sure the page size in Word matches what you expect. If the document was set up for A4 but your default printer is set to Letter, Word may adjust the layout. Change the paper size under Layout > Size before exporting.
Converting a PDF Back to Word
Word 2013 and later can open a PDF and convert it back to an editable document. Go to File > Open, select the PDF file, and Word will convert it. Simple text-heavy PDFs convert well. PDFs with complex layouts, tables, or scanned images will need manual tidying after conversion. For scanned PDFs, Word uses optical character recognition (OCR) automatically, but accuracy depends on the scan quality.
